In the games

Elesa makes her debut in Pokémon Black and White, serving as the Nimbasa City Gym Leader. This Gym is the fourth that the player may challenge. The player can challenge her to a battle after riding a series of roller coasters to her location, a process involving the flipping of multiple switches so the tracks take the player to her.

Elesa specializes in Electric-type Pokémon. She utilizes a strategy that involves using Volt Switch between her two Emolga, and later Zebstrika. Upon defeating her, she will reward the player with a Bolt Badge and TM72 (Volt Switch).

Outside of battle, Elesa is a supermodel. She appears when Bianca attempts to convince her father to allow her to become a Pokémon Trainer. Elesa aids her, convincing Bianca's father to give his daughter the permission to follow her dream. When the player leaves Nimbasa City, it is Elesa who appears briefly on Route 5 and tells the bridge guard to lower the Driftveil Drawbridge so the player may cross it. She then appears at N's Castle, where she and the other Unova Gym Leaders hold off the Seven Sages while the player goes after N. While not strictly relevant to the plot, Elesa also visits Cynthia in the summer at Undella Town, as do the other female Gym Leaders and Elite Four members.

In Black 2 and White 2, Elesa returns as a Gym Leader. The player has to go back to the old Gym and talk to one of Elesa's models where Elesa used to be to have access to the new Gym which is an actual catwalk and fashion show. The TM Elesa gives away remains the same.

Quotes

"My name is Elesa. I'm this town's Gym Leader. I also happen to be a model."

"You know, there are many people in this world. There are people whose way of thinking may be completely different from yours. Sometimes, this means you may get hurt."

"But it's important to keep trying, to learn about the differences between yourself and others... To learn that being different is OK. And you shouldn't worry. Trainers always have Pokémon at their side. Pokémon are wonderful. It's not only how cute they can be, but also how much you can depend on them..."

"I'm sure he traveled as a Trainer himself, in the past... Being a parent must be hard."

"Did I meddle unnecessarily? You looked troubled, so I decided to chime in."

"By the way, if you're Trainers, please stop by the Pokémon Gym. I'll teach you a little something about how tough a journey can get."*

"Did the fantastic speed leave you dizzy? My beloved Pokémon will be the next one to make your head spin!"

During battle (the first non-KO hit)

"You and your Pokémon... are shining brilliantly!"

After sending out last Pokémon

"A properly dramatic victory requires a dash of danger and a pinch of peril."

When defeated

"I meant to make your head spin, but you shocked me instead."

After being defeated

"My, oh my... You have a sweet fighting style. I mean, you're a great Trainer! Excuse me, I...uh... Oh, here! I want you to have this!"

"If you have four Badges, including this Bolt Badge, Pokémon up to Lv. 50, including traded Pokémon, will obey you. Also, here's this move I like. Feel free to use it, um, if you want to."

"Volt Switch lets the Pokémon switch with a different Pokémon after attacking. Of course, if you don't have another Pokémon in your party, you can't switch."

"You're going to Driftveil City next? Of course. There is a Pokémon Gym there, after all. Oh... I bet you won't be able to get there. You know what? I'll fix it so you can cross. Wait for me on Route 5."

"What you'd like to do... What your Pokémon would like to do... Don't you think it could be amazing if those are aligned?"

Post game:

"I think the real me is the one who battles with Pokémon as a Gym Leader. A model's job is to make someone else's vision look like a reality. It's interesting but it's not easy..."

"Now to contact him... It's me, Elesa. Please lower the drawbridge. I have a couple of Trainers here who want to challenge you. OK... Thanks. Now, watch this! I have a TV gig, so I've got to go. The Gym Leader of the next town may take some getting used to... Do your best, both of you."

"Getting wrapped up in worries is bad for your body and spirit. That's when you must short out your logic circuits and reboot your heart."

"Without a word... Without even a whisper... My Pokémon connect me to other Trainers, transmitting the current of my feelings."

"Put bluntly, swimsuits are nothing but cloth, right?"

Badge Case

May you always continue to be a person who brightens your surroundings.

National Gymquirer

Jingle: "Woo hoo! All right! It's 'The National Gymquirer'!"

Page: "That's right! We collect the hottest gossip about Gym Leaders seen around town! Here is today's letter. From someone going by the name Shocking Supermodel... Hmmm, that sounds like a Gym Leader I know. Well, let's see... 'The Gym Leader Elesa said that Nimbasa's Pokémon can dance a nimble bossa! Nobody laughed, but I thought it was really funny! What do you think?' Hmmm... It really seems like Elesa needs to come up with a sneakier pen name. Well, whatever! 'The National Gymquirer'! We eagerly await your letters!"

In the anime

Elesa in the anime

Elesa made her debut appearance in Enter Elesa, Electrifying Gym Leader!, when Ash and Bianca went to one of her modelling shows in order to request a Gym Battle. Elesa was excited to see Ash's Pikachu and even left the runway just so she could get a closer look. Later, Elesa battled Bianca in a three-on-three match and easily defeated all of Bianca's Pokémon with her powerful Zebstrika.

Elesa battled Ash in Dazzling the Nimbasa Gym!. Although Ash proved to be a far tougher opponent than Bianca had, she still gave the young Trainer a tough time in her Gym. However Ash was able to pull through and earn himself a Bolt Badge.

Elesa's Emolga first appeared in Dazzling the Nimbasa Gym!, where she was used second in her Gym Battle against Ash. Using a combination of Attract and Aerial Ace, she was able to knock out Ash's Palpitoad. Next, she went up against Snivy. As both Pokémon were female, Attract could not work; however, Emolga was able to defeat Snivy using Aerial Ace and Acrobatics—moves Snivy was weak against. Finally, Emolga was sent up against Pikachu, but since the recent battles had taken their toll, Emolga was knocked out with a single Quick Attack.

Tynamo was the last Pokémon Elesa used against Ash in their Gym Battle in Dazzling the Nimbasa Gym!, and is called by Elesa as her "Electric Queen". Ash was confused by the unusual Pokémon that, despite being fish-like in appearance, could float in mid-air. Elesa worked around Tynamo's inability to learn more than a few moves by training her so her Tackle was extremely powerful, causing Pikachu to struggle. However, Pikachu was able to pull himself together and knocked out Tynamo with Iron Tail after repetitively using Thunderbolt on the field.

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

She is briefly seen with other Nimbasa City officials when talking to White and negotiating with the BW Agency about the Pokémon Musical since Nimbasa City was starting to dwindle with its tourism, although Elesa didn't appear to be very interested. Later, when the Musical was being set up, Elesa was seen dressing up her Zebstrika in support of it. She informs Black that their Gym Battle will have to wait until the Musical ends. Later, Black and Elesa have their Gym battle despite the fact that Black becomes stuck in her Gym's coaster car. Eventually, Black manages to defeat her but before he can take the badge, he is sent to the outside of the Gym from a thunderstorm caused by the Pokémon Thundurus.

Elesa, along with her fellow Gym Leaders, appears at the Celestial Tower to discuss what to do about Team Plasma. Later, she and the other Gym Leaders battle the Shadow Triad in Nacrene City to protect the Dark Stone from being stolen. Despite their teamwork, Elesa and the other Gym Leaders fell to the Shadow Triad's trump card, the Kami trio.

Pokémon

Blitzle → Zebstrika

Zebstrika is the first Pokémon that Elesa is known to own. Zebstrika was first seen as a drawing when Black was reading a book while deciding on strategies to defeat Elesa in their upcoming Gym Battle. Later, it was seen in person along with Elesa's other Pokémon while it was seen being dressed up in preparation of the Pokémon Musical. Zebstrika was used against Black in the Gym battle where it defeated his Tula after exploiting its Motor Drive Ability to raise its speed. Eventually, Zebstrika was defeated by Black's Nite. In a flashback that occurred in the same chapter, it was revealed that Elesa owned Zebstrika when it was a Blitzle during her youth.

Emolga are the second and third Pokémon that Elesa is known to own. One Emolga was first seen as a drawing when Black was reading a book while deciding on strategies to defeat Elesa in their upcoming Gym Battle. Later, they were both seen in person along with Elesa and her Zebstrika while she was dressing up her Zebstrika in preparation of the Pokémon Musical. One Emolga was used in the Gym battle against Black where it fought his Nite and was eventually defeated.